


Couch Shopping

by Josselin



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-10-11
Updated: 2003-10-11
Packaged: 2018-01-20 17:02:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1518365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josselin/pseuds/Josselin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>What is the appropriate word for the shrill sort of tone that Michael frequently uses?  The sort of affronted whiny tone?  Does anybody know what I’m talking about?  I have this problem where I can hear him using that tone in my head, but I don’t know how to describe it.  It’s not shrill, per se, or at least when people write, “Michael said shrilly,” that doesn’t read like this sound to me.  It’s kind of like squealing or something.  I don’t know.</p><p> </p><p>In 3-13, first Brian and Hunter and Justin are at Brian’s loft, and then Brian and Hunter are at Ben and Michael’s.  Presumably Brian drove the two of them over there.  Someone needs to go write that scene in the car.  Heh heh.</p><p> </p><p>But not me.  I’m busy writing about furniture shopping.  You could read this as a sequel to “Queer Survivor” but there’s no reason you’d have to.  Also, it’s set in the fall/winter/spring, because in my imagination all the characters were wearing winter clothes.  Michael feels vaguely out of character to me in this, but sometimes you just need somebody around to state the obvious, and he’s usually convenient.  The snippet’s for <span class="ljuser i-ljuser i-ljuser-type-P"></span><a class="i-ljuser-profile" href="http://soundczech.livejournal.com/profile"><img class="i-ljuser-userhead"/></a><a class="i-ljuser-username" href="http://soundczech.livejournal.com/"></a><b>soundczech</b>, who wanted happy stuff.  Please note that I want happy stuff, too, and as yet, no one has written me any.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Couch Shopping

**Author's Note:**

> What is the appropriate word for the shrill sort of tone that Michael frequently uses? The sort of affronted whiny tone? Does anybody know what I’m talking about? I have this problem where I can hear him using that tone in my head, but I don’t know how to describe it. It’s not shrill, per se, or at least when people write, “Michael said shrilly,” that doesn’t read like this sound to me. It’s kind of like squealing or something. I don’t know.
> 
>  
> 
> In 3-13, first Brian and Hunter and Justin are at Brian’s loft, and then Brian and Hunter are at Ben and Michael’s. Presumably Brian drove the two of them over there. Someone needs to go write that scene in the car. Heh heh.
> 
>  
> 
> But not me. I’m busy writing about furniture shopping. You could read this as a sequel to “Queer Survivor” but there’s no reason you’d have to. Also, it’s set in the fall/winter/spring, because in my imagination all the characters were wearing winter clothes. Michael feels vaguely out of character to me in this, but sometimes you just need somebody around to state the obvious, and he’s usually convenient. The snippet’s for [](http://soundczech.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://soundczech.livejournal.com/)**soundczech** , who wanted happy stuff. Please note that I want happy stuff, too, and as yet, no one has written me any.

After reacquiring his riches, Brian needs to refurnish the loft, so he goes on a couch shopping expedition. He takes Michael along with him because he likes to mock Michael’s fashion sense, and he takes Justin along with him because—to Michael’s great embarrassment—he needs Justin to bend over the backs of each of the couches to test if they’re the right height for fucking.

So Michael keeps up an endless chatter about the benefits of nice plaid upholstery, and Brian sort of half-listens, inspecting various pieces of furniture. Justin wanders around behind the two of them, but Brian’s holding the ends of his scarf, so he can’t wander too far, and when Brian tugs on the scarf ends, then he has to catch up and model various sexual positions for them.

Justin’s very good humored about the trip, but Michael’s kind of upset about the whole thing, and finally erupts about it to Brian as Justin is testing the height of a ugly olive green thing. “Brian,” Michael says, looking nervously at the sales guy who’s eyeing them from across the floor. “People are staring.”

Brian remains unconcerned. “They just want Justin’s ass.”

Justin straightens up, wrinkling his nose. “Well, everybody does.” He nods towards the green couch, “I think the wood frame needs more padding.”

Brian circles the couch again. “Yeah, you’re right.” Brian wanders over to the next couch, tugging Justin along behind him. Michael is trying to cover his face with his hands and hoping that no one recognizes him.

“Christ, Brian,” Michael says. “You treat him like some kind of…puppy, or something. Like a pose-able sex toy for your shopping convenience.”

Brian gives Michael a look that says—and this is wrong, why?

“Umm, Michael?” Justin says. “He’s right here. And he can hear you.”

“And you,” Michael says. “Why do you put up with it? Fuck, you’d get on your knees in front of him right here if he asked you to.”

Brian’s frowning at Michael now, but is still holding the end of Justin’s scarf. “Well, he does everywhere else,” Brian says sarcastically. He looks slightly uncomfortable, as if unsure when a giggling shopping trip had turned into a critique of the power dynamics of his relationships.

Justin’s still laughing, though. “Like you’re one to talk,” he tells Michael. “Brian’s got you so whipped, he doesn’t even need a leash to make you follow him around.”

“That’s not true,” Michael protests, and Justin raises an eyebrow challengingly.

“Yeah? So how come Brian had to promise me three blow jobs before I’d forsake a morning to walk around the store, and you’re here just for shits and giggles?”

“Because that’s what friends do for friends,” Michael protests stubbornly, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “That’s totally different than practically giving Brian a blow job in the middle of the sofa department.”

“There are different kinds of pride, Michael,” Justin says, with a slight smile, and then he turns to the last couch in the row, which Brian has been inspecting with intense interest while trying to avoid getting pulled into Michael and Justin’s little dispute. “Besides,” Justin adds, bending over to test the couch height, “Brian prefers shadowy corners and dark alleys. Bright lights reveal too many of his wrinkles,” Justin says, grinning back over his shoulder.

Brian slaps his conveniently exposed ass. “I do not have wrinkles.”

Justin turns around, still laughing. “Oh, of course you don’t,” he says to Brian, obviously humoring him, and Brian glares at him. "This one has a poky nail thing," Justin complains.

"Let's get it," Brian counters.

"Uh, no," Justin says, shaking his head. "Have you even really looked at it? It's hideous. Plus--spiky nail? Not my kind of kink." Justin has a point, because the couch is hideous--red leather is always somewhat questionable, and this one ends up looking like a giant tomato.

Brian's still staring at Justin, but he's obviously not listening to what Justin's actually saying, because he interrupts him mid-tomato complaint by pulling him close for a rather passionate kiss.

"Uh, Brian," Michael says nervously, "that saleslady is not looking at us in a happy way."

Brian pulls away from Justin to notice that there is indeed a matronly sales woman staring at them in a rather disapproving manner. "All right, fuck it," Brian says. "Let's get out of here."

"What about the couch?" Justin protests.

"I liked that third one we looked at," Brian says. "Have them ship it to me."

"Don't tell me, tell that evil lady," Michael says.

"Which was the third one?" Justin asks.

"That was the black leather one. With the large arm rests."

Michael begins to protest that black will show lots of stains, lint, and dust, but it's obvious that Brian's ignoring him, because the look in Brian's eyes says that he's already quite busy imagining how a certain blond is going to look spread out in contrast to that black leather.

Justin goes off to find a salesperson to ring up the couch for them, and Brian's eyes follow him as he walks away. Brian slings an arm over Michael's shoulders, and Michael trails off on his stream of objections to black leather under the weight of Brian's gaze. "That's what cleaning services are for, Mikey," Brian tells him.

"Yeah?" Michael says. "Is that what Justin is for, too? You get him to clean up all your stuff? Is that why you keep letting him stick around?"

Brian snorts. "Like Justin could clean to save his life. Christ, I need to have the cleaning people come twice as often when he's around."

Justin returns with the sales guy who had been ogling him earlier, and Brian flirts with the guy while arranging to have the black sofa delivered to the loft, but even while he's flirting, one of his hands rests casually on the back of Justin's neck, and neither of them even seem to notice.

THE END

**Author's Note:**

> Imported from: http://josselin.livejournal.com/14885.html


End file.
